At Bogoth, in particular, the new Spanish viceroy installed by Morillo waged a savage war on all suspected of aiding the patriot cause.

He did not spare even women, and one of his victims was a young heroine, Policarpa Salavarrieta by name.

Though for her execution three thousand soldiers were detailed, the girl was unterrified by her doom and was earnestly beseeching the loyalists among them to turn their arms against the enemies of their country when a volley stretched her lifeless on the ground.
Meanwhile Bolivar had been fitting out, in Haiti and in the Dutch island of Curacao, an expedition to take up anew the work of freeing Venezuela.
Hardly had the Liberator landed in May, 1816, when dissensions with his fellow officers frustrated any prospect of success.

Indeed they obliged him to seek refuge once more in Haiti.

Eventually, however, most of the patriot leaders became convinced that, if they were to entertain a hope of success, they must entrust their fortunes to Bolivar as supreme commander.